Witness
by A. Zap
Summary: There's really no way it could get worse, so Dean decides to let the third witness come forward. However, he wasn't expecting that person to be put on the stand. Set in 7x04 "Defending Your Life." Hints of one-sided Destiel, but not any more than is already in the show.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. If I did, Cas would not be by himself right now with Sam and Dean doing their own thing.**

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><p><span>Witness<span>

"Dean, do you want me to call my last witness?" Osiris asked this as though he knew what Dean's answer would be.

At his words, Dean once more saw Amy, the kitsune, as she stared at him in shock before looking down at the knife in her heart. He saw the light fading from her eyes, and the hatred in her son's eyes as he vowed to kill him. He remembered the rush of shame as Sam thanked him for doing the right thing and letting her go when he did nothing of the sort.

Dean could almost feel the guilt weighing down his heart, and it was no wonder that Osiris had targeted him to put him on trial. He gulped, swallowing all these chick feelings down as Sam looked at him confused.

"Or have we had enough?" Osiris's smile had a shark-like edge to it. For all that he said that he was merely doing what people wished could be done, the Egyptian God was obviously enjoying himself.

Dean hesitated. If Amy appeared as the third witness, then Sam would know what he had done and see why there was no point in trying to defend Dean.

"Dean." Sam hissed at him. "What are you doing?"

Still, in for a penny, in for a pound.

"Sure, go ahead and call up your last witness." Dean tried to sound more confident than he actually felt.

"I was hoping you would say that." Osiris leaned back in his seat and both brothers turned to witness stand, frowning a bit as the witness did not appear automatically like Jo and Sam had.

Still, a wind was beginning to blow in the barn, kicking up the dust.

"Truly, this final witness is the hardest to summon." Osiris seemed a bit proud of himself at his achievement. "After all, they have no afterlife, so what is leftover must be pulled from the void, from nothing."

Dean frowned. After all, Amy was a monster, so she would have gone to Purgatory, the monster afterlife. Who was Osiris talking about? Who was the third witness, if not Amy?

Before he could ask, the lights began to flicker overhead. There was that crackling noise that generally accompanied the appearance of a ghost and it was centered on the witness chair.

"Did you really think it would be _her_?" Osiris sneered at Dean's confusion. "Or have you noticed that these witnesses are ones who you have personally wronged the most?"

Dean's brow furrowed. "What do you - ?" His voice cut off as the ghost finally appeared, and he felt his stomach drop to floor. He felt his eyes widening at the sight, and every thought and feeling seemed to screech to a stop.

_No._

It couldn't be. There was no way.

_No._

What had Osiris said? That they had no afterlife so they became nothing when they died?

_No._

Dean wished that it had been Amy. He could have at least been able to face her. This person though – He just couldn't. Not after everything.

The witness on the other hand did not seem to share the dread that Dean felt. The person looked around, confused, which was understandable given Osiris's explanation. The witness peered around the barn, glancing at Osiris, until the gaze landed on Dean and rested on him, as per usual.

"Hello, Dean." Castiel said from where he stood on the stand, and he then looked over at Sam. "Hello, Sam." His face twisted up in an expression of regret, pain in his eyes, just like the last time Dean had seen him.

"That's right." Osiris said. "The prosecution calls the angel, Castiel, to the stand."

It was indeed Castiel. The angel stood there in all of his trenchcoat glory, with the same dark bedhead and piercing blue eyes. He looked just as he had before Leviathan took him over and killed him. The only difference was that he had that off-color, translucent look that all ghosts had.

Cas's gaze turned back to Osiris. "What is the meaning of this?" He squinted at the Egyptian god.

"As you can see, Dean is on trial." Osiris gestured over at where Dean sat at the accused table with Sam hovering over him.

"On what charges?" Cas tilted his head, confused, as if he could think of no reason why Dean would be accused of something.

It almost made Dean want to laugh and cry at the same time.

He couldn't deal with this. After a couple of months of him being dead and having to deal with seeing that goddamn trenchcoat sitting in the trunk of the Impala, he couldn't handle seeing him here, ghost or no ghost. Not after seeing him die like that, not after what Cas had done.

And it had been his fault.

At the time, he hadn't realized it. He had been hurt, and he hadn't listened to Cas, even when he had begged for him to listen. Castiel had done everything for him, so it was all his fault.

Osiris really was hitting him where it hurt.

"Well, interesting that you bring that up." Osiris sat back up, returning to his role. "Castiel, is it true that you disobeyed orders and the will of Heaven all for Dean Winchester?"

"Well," Castiel's head tilted a bit more, "yes, but – "

"And did you not fall for him? And also die multiple times?"

"I did. However, I – "

"And after the Apocalypse, did you not start a Civil War and make a deal with the King of Hell in order to ensure Dean Winchester could live in peace and the Apocalypse would not be fulfilled?" Osiris steamrolled right over Cas's protests. He probably knew that Cas would defend Dean all the way to the end if he had the opportunity.

"Yes, but if you would let me – "

"Well, then, is it not obvious what his crime is? All you were meant to do was pull him from Hell, but look at what happened." Osiris gestured about in emphasis. "Not quite what you expected, huh? Besides Sam, you are probably the greatest example of – "

"Enough." Castiel's voice was a low growl, this time being the one cutting someone off. For a second, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The shadows of raised wings appeared behind Cas at that moment and his eyes were not filled with guilt for a moment, but with righteous anger.

"Do not patronize me, Osiris." He continued, "If I had not rebelled, you would not even being sitting here as the world would have ended. I am not a hammer; I can make my own choices. All of which you said were _my _decisions, not Dean's, therefore the responsibility lies with me." The anger faded and Castiel's body seemed to sag. "Besides, if there is anyone here who should be executed for crimes, it would be me," he sighed, "and I am already dead."

The words hit Dean like a punch to the stomach. He had never wanted to admit it, the fact that Cas was dead. But here, with his ghost quite literally staring him in the face. Yet the stupid angel was still trying to protect him, to defend him.

Dean didn't deserve him.

"Cas – " Dean hated the way his voice broke, even for a single second. "You – "

Castiel looked Dean in the eyes and held his gaze. "I have Free Will, Dean." A slight, sad smile graced his lips. "My will, my decisions. Not yours. You tried to stop me, but I was the one who did not listen."

That wasn't true. Dean should have tried to understand. After all, he himself had been desperate enough to make a deal with a demon before. He should have known exactly how desperate Cas had been.

He was the one who taught Cas that it was okay to make demon deals if the situation was bad enough. Yet he had still pushed Cas away when he tried to explain.

Besides, if Cas had come to him, he couldn't be sure that he wouldn't have turned Cas away. Dean had turned his back on everything about that life, trying to keep his promise to Sam, who Castiel had brought back despite forgetting his soul. He couldn't say that he would have helped.

Cas could say anything he wanted, but it wouldn't change what had happened or Dean's role in it.

"Free will, you say?" Osiris raised an imperious eyebrow. "And, like the late Joanna, your feelings had nothing to do with any of this?"

Cas dragged his eyes away from Dean's. "What?" His brow furrowed in confusion.

Osiris almost looked giddy. "Your feelings towards Dean? Are you certain they had _nothing _to do with what lead you to this point?"

Castiel clenched his jaw as he glared at the Egyptian god. Dean was a bit confused though. What feelings were they talking about? The two of them having been best friends? Or the so-called "profound bond" that Cas had mentioned? He looked over at Sam to see if he had a clue about what they were talking about. Sam wasn't looking him in the eye though.

_Well, _he thought, _whatever._ It probably wasn't important.

"Hmph." Osiris seemed satisfied with Cas's lack of response. "Well, that should speak for itself. Sam?"

Sam stepped forward. "Hey, Cas." He said, though his eyes looked a bit misty.

"Sam." Cas just looked guilty as Hell when he looked at him. "I'm so sorry. If I could, I would fix it now, but…."

"I know." Sam gave a tight smile. "It's the thought that counts, I guess."

Osiris made an impatient noise.

"Anyway," Sam moved on, "so as you were saying, all of these were your own decisions, right?"

"Indeed." Castiel nodded a bit. "Therefore, Dean is free from blame. As much as I regret some of the decisions I have made, I cannot blame anyone but myself."

"Yeah," Sam grimaced a bit, "so Dean really should not be feeling guilty? At all?"

"Yes," Cas confirmed.

Dean couldn't let them throw themselves under the bus for him. "But guys – "

Both of them glared at him, making him stop. Then, Cas's expression turned contemplative and then became a mixture of bitterness and sadness. "There is more than what I have just said that would have perhaps meant that I would have eventually fallen, even without Dean."

"Really?" Sam looked intrigued at the notion.

"Yes, there were some who said that I spent too much time with you." Castiel explained. "But there were also those who said that I simply had 'too much heart.'" He brought up his hands to make air quotes around the final phrase. The Winchesters stared at the gesture as incredulously as they had the first time they saw him use it and even Osiris raised an eyebrow. "So I would have most likely anyway."

"So Dean really isn't to blame?" Sam turned his puppy-dog eyes towards his brother and Cas joined him, trying to absolve him of his guilt.

This time, Dean couldn't really believe it though.

"That's enough." Osiris waved his hand.

Castiel began to disappear. His eyes widened and just before he vanished, he started to call Dean's name. "De-!"

Dean's heart lurched in his chest, but Cas was already gone.

"As fun as that was, it is now time." Osiris stated. He sat up and looked about as regal as any Egyptian pharaoh. He banged his staff three times. "The court's reached a verdict. I find you, Dean Winchester, guilty in your heart… and sentence you to die. I'd suggest you get your affairs in order quickly." He smirked and glanced at Sam. "As interesting as you and that angel's appeals were, it seems that it was all for naught."

With those final words, Osiris disappeared, leaving Dean and Sam in the barn.

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><p>Dean knew Sam wasn't going to make it on time. Jo had set up the gas in the stove and had blown away his salt circle. He had no protections left as Jo began to reach for his lighter.<p>

_So this is how I die? Fitting._ Similar to the manner in which Ellen and Jo died, this would be his final redemption. Osiris had been right in that he wanted to be punished, and that's what would happen.

However, before Jo could kill him, a hand clamped down around her wrist.

"That's enough, Jo." Castiel said softly as he flickered in and out of existence by Osiris's power.

Jo looked shocked for a moment, and then a relieved smile crossed her face. She flickered and disappeared.

For a moment, the two of them stood there, then with a wave of his hand, Cas turned off the stove and the fumes were rushed out of the open window.

Castiel still didn't say anything; he just stared at Dean like he always did. Dean couldn't help but feel a bit jumpy. After all, Cas was here to kill him.

"So what will it be?" Dean finally broke the silence. "Smiting like Raphael and Lucifer did to you? Death by Leviathan?" He just wanted to get this over with.

Castiel had genuine hurt in his eyes. "Do you really think so little of me?" His voice was soft. "After everything we have been through together, you believe I would kill you?"

"Well, Osiris is controlling you like he did Jo, right? And you wanted to do it yourself, so you stopped Jo." That was the only reason Dean could think that he would stop it.

Cas's face darkened. "I did not stop Jo just to kill you, Dean. I stopped her so she would not have to kill you." He straightened. "And I am an Angel of the Lord. Osiris can bring me here, but he cannot make me kill you."

"Oh." Cas was still protecting him. He couldn't believe it.

The two once more stood in silence, but it was mostly fine, as they never really needed words to fill the quiet anyway.

"Beheading."

Dean blinked at the sudden change of topic. "What?"

"Leviathans. You can behead them, but make sure you separate the head and body otherwise it will just put itself back together right away." Castiel avoided Dean's incredulous gaze. "I also believe that sodium borate, or borax, is an effective means of hampering them. It works somewhat like holy water for demons."

"Cas, what are you – " Dean stopped as that lump appeared in his throat again.

"It won't really stop them in the long run. But it will take care of them long enough for you to find out how to take out the head." The angel looked upset. "I don't know how to do that unfortunately.

Dean looked at the angel. This may not be a permanent solution, but it certainly help and it was better than nothing. Still, the way that the angel was pushing it forward bothered him.

"I am sorry, Dean." Cas looked into Dean's eyes. "For everything. Though I cannot fix things, nor can I say that I would not make the same decision in the same circumstances I was in, I can take this opportunity to assist you in fighting the Leviathans." His face crumpled in pain. "It's the only hope I have for redeeming myself to you."

Dean still couldn't respond past that damn lump. How could Cas say this?

A small, sad smile twitched at Castiel's lips. "Osiris was right about one thing."

"What?" Dean finally managed to say. "Something about your feelings?"

Cas ignored the jab and continued to gaze into Dean's eyes. "You take too much of a burden upon yourself. We all are not your responsibility and our choices are not within your control." He reached up a hand to Dean's face, and Dean felt a cool, butterfly touch against his skin. "You cannot save everyone, my friend," his face had that sad smile again, "though you try." He brought his hand down.

A single tear ran down Dean's face before he could stop it, and then he felt the sorrow being burned away by anger. Who was Cas to tell him this? "Like hell I can't." He spat.

A smile crossed Cas's face and it wasn't sad this time. "There you are." He sobered up quickly though, returning to his usual stoic self. "Still, be careful, Dean. Leviathans absorb knowledge. Everything I knew, they know. You may wish to change some of your identities so they cannot find you."

Dean took the information with a nod this time. After all, it was all Cas could do and if it helped the angel feel less guilty, then that was all the more reason to take it.

Dean opened his mouth to say something, he didn't know what, but he was distracted as he saw Castiel direct his gaze out the window.

"Sam has succeeded." Castiel said, his voice implying that he knew that Sam would do it. His form began to flicker away.

"Wait!" Dean tried to grasp Cas by the shoulder, but it went right through him. "I – "

"Goodbye, Dean." Cas disappeared before Dean could utter the words he so wanted to say.

Dean stood along in the room inside a broken salt circle with new knowledge and the fact that his angel had saved him from death even from beyond the grave.

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><p>Sam and Dean were sitting back and sipping beers by the Impala.<p>

"So, uh, it seem like… you know, like… she was in pain?" Sam asked tentatively.

Dean took a sip of beer before responding. "No. No, just kind of faded. Regular Jo. Actually, maybe a little happier."

Sam hesitated before asking the next question. "And did Cas show?"

Dean thought of soulful, sad blue eyes. Of a painful bid to try to do anything to help, as a way for forgiveness. Of being saved by someone who had done it before and would probably do it again if he could. Of a feather-light touch on his cheek and a small smile. Of not being able to say that he was sorry and understood now.

"No." Dean finished most of his beer in one go. "Cas didn't show." With that, Dean quickly moved on to Sam's lawyer skills.

Sam let him drop it.

Still, Sam and Bobby never asked how Dean managed to find out how to deal with Leviathans or why he suddenly changed all of their IDs and credit cards. They did not ask him further about what happened while Sam went after Osiris though he could tell that they wanted to.

Even if they did ask, Dean wouldn't tell them. It was something meant for him and him alone.

Besides, Castiel was dead.

So it's not like it mattered anyway.

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><p><em>AN: So I have been having a bit of a hard time and a lot of feels, so my mind sent me back to season 7. Seriously, did Dean not notice that all of the witnesses were a bit more personal than just a monster that he stabbed a while ago? They were people he personally wronged or led astray. The whole episode didn't even mention Cas at all. And he should have been mentioned. So this is my way of fixing the episode and including Cas. Also, Castiel tells them how to fight the Leviathans, because he's sorry and it's what he would totally do in that situation to make up for what he's done. We've never been told when Cas came back anyway, so this is plausible. Anywho, please favorite or review if you liked it.<em>


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